The Dreamcatcher
by PerditaAlottachocolate
Summary: With a new super-villain in town Adrien finds himself metaphorically speaking at the bottom of a sinkhole, his life turned into a disaster. Now that Ladybug's gone will Chat Noir find the courage to fight the demons of the past and present all by himself? Will he be able to win the battle against the ultimate enemy, who vanquished so many previous miraculous holders?
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

_Author's Note: This type of story is new to me, so I could really use some feedback to improve it. I would appreciate your reviews._

 _I dedicate this fic to my **bestie** , who quite conveniently though accidentally shares the first three letters of her name with Ladybug's civilian form. Thank you for encouraging me and for the inspiring ideas!_

* * *

 **Prologue**

Adrien was in his personal hell. In just a few days his live turned into a disaster, his heart was shattered and he was on the verge of a break down. He sat on a rooftop of one of the highest skyscrapers in Paris as he took in the view of his city, wounded and bleeding just like his soul.

Buildings and monuments wrecked, some of the bridges ruined, fallen into Seine. Here and there a blazing fire. Scars in the city tissue that would take months if not years to heal. But him? He was beyond healing, already dead inside.

It felt like a nightmare, though it wasn't one. It was real this time, and it was his fault. He couldn't stop this, he failed. There was nothing he could do now. Marinette taken captive, like many others. Ladybug gone. His city in ruin. It started with an attack a few days earlier.

No.

It started way before that, when all of the sudden came those persistent dreams of his.

 _OoOoO_

 _It's the middle of the night, when he wakes up, covered in cold sweat, shivers climbing down his spine. There was that dream again._

 _He hears her voice, calling him, he feels her hands on his hair, he sees her emerald eyes watching him. She says something, but he can't hear her._

' _Wait! Please! Don't go!' He calls._

 _He runs after her, but his mother is out of his reach._

 _OoOoO_

At first, those dreams appeared from time to time, once every few nights maybe. Then they got more and more frequent and intense. Maybe if he could see past his bewilderment, pain and grief he would be able to notice that he wasn't the only one affected by this strange phenomenon. Maybe he could do something, anything, before it was too late.

In whole of Paris people were having nightmares more and more often. Not everybody clearly, mostly those vulnerable, unhappy, pained, lonely, somehow compromised. And with those fragile and tortured minds Hawk Moth had a true feast. Akumas whizzed in the air like missiles, bringing havoc into everyday life of the city. Chat Noir and Ladybug hardly had time to sleep at all with this sudden turn of events.

Yet every time Adrien drifted off, he felt that dream coming. God only knew how he needed his rest with all that madness around, but he started to dread the moment of falling asleep. As without failure, every time he closed his eyes he looked up and unmistakably saw the eyes of his mother, silently boring into his soul.

Soon the dreams were ripping his heart apart every night. Every night he was dying slowly watching his mother abandoning him.

 _OoOoO_

 _Another dream. Flash of saddened green eyes, his mother's hand on his cheek. But now he senses there's someone else. There's someone new with them here._

 _Soft lips peck on his forehead, and the gleam of sapphire meets his emerald stare of surprise. Her hand, covered in skintight red black-spotted glove brushes his shoulder. Whisper, barely audible by his ear, 'Goodbye, mon Chaton'._

 _Now he sees the two of them, the blonde and the dark haired. Their eyes wet with tears, sadness curving their lips. Hand in hand they take a step back, and another, and another._

' _Take me with you! Please!'_

 _They are already out of his reach, despite his cries, despite his hands trying in vain to seize them._

 _And with that saddened look in their eyes they dispel into the night just like they were never there._

 _He throws himself to his knees, felling his head is about to explode with grief, his heart already stopped. There's no way anyone could take so much sorrow at once. He must have died already. But if so then why is he hurting so much?_

 _OoOoO_

That was the first time when Adrien dreamed of Ladybug standing by his mother's side. That was the day the hell broke free. That was the day when the Dreamcatcher had arrived.


	2. Chapter 2 The arrival

**Part 1**

* * *

 **'The arrival'**

Hawk Moth's 'super villain' label wouldn't do justice to what the Dreamcatcher was. She would probably settle for 'hyper villain', although one could argue whether this was even a half-adequate description of the sorcerer that one day wandered seemingly out of the blue into the streets of Paris.

Adrien was sure he would remember that day till the end of his life. Chat Noir and Ladybug were in the middle of a fight against a fierce Akuma, when they were startled by a wave of silence rolling through the city. Everyone and everything stopped in astonishment, as a wave of tinkling susurration followed the first one. And then they came – all sorts of ghosts, monsters, dragons, demons, you name it. An army of them. All seemed like shadows, transparent, grey phantoms. Flowing, crawling, flying, stepping on the city grounds. All wearing the look of pure malice on their faces, or those bits of them that served as faces. All purposefully, hungrily glaring at silent crowds in the streets.

Behind that army, treading lightly on thin air just few inches from the ground, came the Dreamcatcher. She had no apparent age, her face resembling a statue, pale and smooth as marble. Her features profoundly beautiful, carved against the stone of her cheeks. Her long white hair seemed to have a life of its own, giving her the look of someone caught in a slow motion gale. A silver dress entwined her statuesque figure, layers and layers of delicate fabric, looking very much like dreamcatchers, if you could weave those out of mirror thread. If it wasn't for the clouds, she would probably shine like a diamond. Wrapped around her neck a few times and unwinding to her hands and waist was the longest string of pearls Chat had seen in his entire life. The pearls were breathtakingly magnificent like the sorcerers whole demeanor, yet there was something unnerving about them as they sparkled and seemingly changed their shade without any apparent reason. But perhaps the most terrifying sight of all were her eyes – piercing, ice cold, light blue irises with pupils as hollow as the void. Two black holes suddenly unfolding in the blue skies.

Finally she came to a stop at the sight of the two super heroes. She parted her beautifully carved lips and shrieked, releasing shockwaves of sounds so high pitched, they were on the verge of hearing rage. They spread through city like wildfire through dried grass.

Everybody sensed it, Chat could see that for himself. As soon as the waves reached him, he felt being sucked into his appalling dream. It took all of his superhero force to snap out of it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ladybug staggering at the hit of another wave. He could tell that she was also fighting that sensation. She looked utterly terrified for a moment, but then shook her head and returned to reality just in time to notice...

…that the Akuma de-transformed! The victim looked around in fear trying to comprehend the situation.

All around them people were snapping out of their nightmares, more conscious and scared than ever. And then the Dreamcatcher spoke.

'I'm glad to have your attention,' she murmured in a low voice, that sent shivers down Chat's spine. It seemed most silent, yet she could be heard everywhere at once. 'The name's Dreamcatcher. And yes, I can do what it says, and way way more…' that last syllables only a whisper in the wind, but somehow it managed to make everyone shudder. Her features decomposed into a mischievous grin, almost out of place on that strikingly beautiful face.

'I'm here for good,' a little chuckle escaped her lips, 'or for bad. Not that it matters. Soon I will make a claim on this city. For now I'll just hang around to let you know me better, while I'll be…' she gave another chuckle, amused with herself '… house-haunting.' She spat those last couple of words, glaring directly at Chat and he felt them stinging his brain. He wondered if she was having the same effect on everybody.

Now she turned her eyes to Ladybug. She gave her a puzzled look, and then as if recognizing the heroine, raised her brow and exclaimed 'Well, well! Look what the cat dragged in?'

Chat gulped and glimpsed at his Lady, but she seemed motionless, pinned by Dreamcatcher's cold stare. Ladybug returned her gaze with the most fiery look of her own, and the two just stood there for a while, locked eye to eye in silent competition. Chat was vaguely aware there was something going on between them, something he couldn't quite perceive. Dreamcatcher was the first one to take her eyes off Ladybug, as she released a soft laugh. 'Rest assured, we'll meet again, girl,' she whispered as if ending a conversation obscured to anyone but the two of them.

Then she clicked her fingers and disappeared in a whirlwind that also took all of her minions away.

'That… that was…' Chat was the first to regain his voice, though apparently not enough of coherent thought. Ladybug recovered faster.

'Weird, to say the least. Did you see what happened to that Akuma?' Her voice was calm, but her eyes were two dark lakes of worry. Chat wondered, what happened during the stare contest, because she was clearly shaken to the bone. Well, he wasn't really feeling any better, especially with the reminder of his dream.

'Yes, he de-transformed under that shockwave. I've never seen anything like that before.' The boy was glad that his voice didn't tremble. For a moment he considered whether he should tell his partner about his dream, but decided against it. 'I have a feeling that this is important, but what could that mean?'

Ladybug seemed to contemplate his words. 'Hmmm, I have a few hypotheses but I don't like any of them. Do you think our kwamis could provide us with the answer to that question?'

Chat thought it was worth a shot, although Plagg wasn't exactly his idea of helpfulness and wisdom. 'I hope so. Either way I have no doubt that there's a new villain in the neighborhood. We should prepare ourselves for that, although I'll be damned if I know how or for what exactly.'

'Same here.' The heroine looked clueless for the first time since their first encounter. She fell silent for a moment before asking 'Chat, are you all right? You don't look good if you don't mind me saying that. I know there's a lot going on, but you look just… extremely tired.' She raised her brow and continued hesitantly. 'And… I've noticed… it's been a few days since your last lame joke. You didn't even pick up on Dreamcatcher's pun...' There was sincere concern in her voice, but Chat stuck with his resolve not to share his problems, especially with someone who hitherto didn't appreciate his pawsome puns. The truth was, she didn't look much better than him, what with all that fighting that'd been going on lately.

'It's nothing that my Lady should worry about,' he said instead. 'Let's see how things are going to work out, and meet in a few days in the usual place to compare notes after our talks with kwamis, shall we?'

'Sounds like a good plan. We'll be in touch. Bug out!' she called throwing her yoyo and leaping to a distant rooftop. As he watched her leaving he couldn't shake of the feeling, that there was a look of disappointment in her bluebell eyes.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Trivia. Dreamcatcher's string of pearls was inspired by a real one – a necklace of pearls owned by Daisy, Princess of Pless. It was 6,7 meters long. Legend says that those pearls were cursed by a pearl diver who died while collecting them. He claimed that the owner of those pearls would never be happy and indeed the Princess didn't get much luck in future years blaming the cursed necklace._

 _Anyway, I'd love to know, what you think. Please leave a review if you can._


	3. Chapter 3 The enemy

**'The enemy'**

Adrien shuddered at the memory of his dream being displayed once again before his eyes at Dreamcatcher's arrival. It was actually even more terrifying than usual, because of his transformation. The sensation was odd as he felt disoriented and lost having Adrien's dream shoved in Chat's face. He really needed to talk to someone about all this. Unfortunately he had only Plagg at his disposal, and that wasn't all that promising. Lately Plagg was acting really strange. He was more acid, grumpy and exasperated than ever, and Adrien didn't think it was even possible. The kwami constantly snapped at his holder, rebuked at every possible occasion, and complained even about the finest camembert that Adrien had ordered especially to appease him.

Still, there were more pressing matters than his disturbing dreams, or so he thought at the time. They were discussing the sorcerer's grand entrance and Plagg's temper was running really short.

'The Akuma had de-transformed under the shockwave.' Adrien recounted. 'One moment he was there fighting like hell, and then suddenly there was only a victim in its place, no sign of the butterfly itself. What does that mean, Plagg? Do you have any ideas?'

Plagg was obviously very reluctant to share his knowledge. 'What do you think, kid? What did you feel under that influence?'

Adrien tried to recall the strange sensation and the sheer memory of it made him shudder again. 'Like something had sucked me out of my consciousness and tried to drag me into some sort of dream…' He carefully avoided describing what sort of dream would that be.

'Yeah. And were you the only one affected?' The kwami asked acidly.

'No… Everybody was, even Ladybug, if only for a moment…'

'You said it yourself, kid. _Everybody_ was affected,' Plagg tipped the side of his nose prompting his holder to do some thinking himself. He waited for this to sink in. Finally Adrien gasped wide-eyed at the conclusion.

'So she really got to Hawk Moth himself and past his consciousness's defenses?!'

Plagg nodded gloomily. He obviously didn't like that he had to guide the boy through this situation, but he didn't exactly had a choice. 'This might give you some indicators of the extend of her powers.'

'Meaning…?'

The kwami gave up throwing his tiny paws in the air. It was no use to kick any kind of coherent though out of Adrien in his current state.

'Meaning she's much more powerful than Hawk Moth.' He replied bluntly. 'It's impossible for his champion to drop transformation without a consent from him. And as I can't image our Hawkie allowing such thing, the only possible conclusion is that she somehow got even to him, despite his transformation. Like she clearly did get to you and Ladybug.'

Adrien needed a moment to take that all in. Finally he proceeded with the questioning.

'Did she… did you… Do you know her?'

Plagg shrugged, averting his eyes from the boy. Something was clearly plaguing his thoughts. 'She's been around a few times,' he admitted at last. 'No one knows what drives her in. You could say she's an old enemy.'

'An enemy?'

'We've… lost some holders to her in the past.' The kwami murmured barely audibly.

'Oh.' Again the blonde tried to process the information he was getting. 'Do you know how to defeat her?'

The kwami sighed heavily. His voice was trembling, like he was constraining himself. 'No, I don't.' he snapped. 'She's never been defeated so far.' That had Adrien silenced, if only for a moment.

'So… what happened? Did they… die?' The boy was oblivious of his companion's emotional state, concentrated totally on the task of gaining some knowledge.

Despite the rather serious topic and his sour mood Plagg couldn't stop himself and rolled his eyes. 'Of course they died. It was a long time ago, they would be dead either way!' He was visibly perturbed.

Adrien carefully ignored his state. 'You know what I mean, Plagg. Can she… cause death?'

'There are worse things than death, kid.' He was uncertain how to go about that subject. He didn't want to scare his Chosen even more than he already was. 'Seen those pearls on her? Some of those are… past Ladybugs and Black Cats.' he said gravely.

'How… is that even possible?' Adrien shook his head but then thought better of it. Of course it was possible, and how would Plagg know anyway. 'Sorry, stupid question. But if those were past Ladybugs and Cats, wouldn't that mean she had access to miraculouses?'

Plagg shook his bulbous head in denial. 'It's more complicated than that. She has more power than all main miraculouses taken together, they wouldn't be of any use to her. Their magic wouldn't affect her, because she's not human to start with. But…' the little god hesitated, as if afraid of voicing that thought.

This time Adrien caught that on the spot. 'Please, Plagg, this is important. I need to know.'

'Oh, all right. She was able to convince many of past wielders to give up their miraculouses and join her out of their own free will. She was always seeking out those strong, powerful, in possession of special skills or talents. Just the kind of people fit enough to get a miraculous in the first place. That's where her power comes from. She somehow contains the power drained from people in those pearls.'

'Would she be affected by us at all?'

'Again, I don't know for sure. If you manage to hit her, she probably will receive a blow.'

'Probably?'

Plagg shuffled his feet. 'Well, look, I've never been around to witness any kind of fight. From my point of view, upon Dreamcatcher's arrival very nearly every of my previous Chosens had given up their miraculouses shortly after they had started suffering from those horrid dreams.'

'Dreams? What dreams?' Adrien raised his head so fast that for a moment he thought he would get whiplashed, but Plagg was too preoccupied with his memories to notice the telltale movement.

'Nightmares, kid. And not just any kind, but the worst you can imagine. It seems like all of a sudden they were dreaming of their worst fears, most terrible regrets or failures. It was like Dreamcatcher could dig deep into their souls and find the most hidden, most personal weaknesses and then drag them into the light of their dreaming consciousness. They really just didn't know what hit them.'

* * *

 _Author's Note: Thank you for your reviews and follows. I know the pace for now is rather slow, but soon it will change, I promise!_

 _If there's something you think I could improve, or if you simply want to comment, please share._


	4. Chapter 4 The solitude

**'The solitude'**

 _OoOoO_

 _A new dream._

 _He's in his father's study, with Gabriel a few feet away staring intently at the portrait of the woman clad in gold._

 _He feels something is pulling him closer, though he tries with all his will to fight that force. His right hand extends by itself and he gasps in horror at the realization that it is charged with cataclysm._

 _He tries in vain to summon all his strength to stop himself. He's almost touching his father's arm now when the man turns around and in the last second moves out of the way, his paled face struck with terror._

 _His right hand lands on the canvas, and he watches helplessly as the trace of his destroying power runs upwards and swallows his mother. Soon the painting crumbles into dust. Beside him Gabriel shrieks in pain and sags to his knees._

 _OoOoO_

A splash of cold water on his face sobered him up a little. He must have dozed off after the disturbing conversation with Plagg. Adrien inspected his reflection in the mirror and almost jumped at the sight of the person looking back at him. Boy, he looked awful. He was tired and bruised, due to the lack of proper sleep, as well as recent akuma activity. Grey, paper skin, shadows under his eyes, and a really awful case of bed head that happened to be his usual hairstyle those past few days. Even his eyes had changed, they were dimmed and sad, their green dulled. No one would recognize the boy that not so long ago was all sparkling because he got his miraculous.

He sighed and grabbed a comb, intent on making himself at least a bit more presentable. He was having dinner with his father that evening, an occurrence so rare that probably only geological measures were applicable there.

Gabriel was already in the dining room. Lost in his thoughts he stared silently at the painting of his family. Adrien quietly slid into the room, his father still oblivious of his presence. He watched the man closely, surprised to see a tear rolling down his cheek. Usually emotionless, Gabriel's face was a display of grief and defeat. But at the sound of Adrien's steps the designer regained his usual composure, his features falling back into that familiar inexpressive mask. He quickly wiped the tear from his cheek and turned to face his son.

Adrien took a seat perpendicular from his father. Now that he could see Gabriel's face, he noticed that the man barely held his usual bearing. He could probably fool someone who didn't know him well, but not his son. As the boy took a closer look he spotted the telltale signs of tiredness, overwork and stress. Granted, Adrien didn't get to see his father on a daily basis, but it seemed as if the man had aged excessively in the course of just a few weeks. There were more silver strands in his pale blond hair, more wrinkles on his forehead and in the corners of his eyes, and visible bags beneath them. Although he was doing all he could to sit straight, Adrien got an impression that he wasn't far from slumping against his chair.

Still, Adrien supposed he didn't look much better himself, so he restrained from comment. After all he didn't want to explain why exactly he looked the way he did. Gabriel however did nothing to withhold his observations.

'You look terrible.' He commented icily, glaring at his son. 'Thank God, we don't have any campaign scheduled anytime soon, or I would have to hire another male model.' His voice was indifferent, so it was hard to judge whether his comment was in fact an act of concern, a reprimand or just a statement.

'Thanks. Good to know.' Adrien muttered under his breath, careful not to be provoked. In his current state he could snap anytime, and that could do more damage that he would like to face. He stared at his plate for some time, as if trying to comprehend why was it there at all. Then he grabbed a fork and gave his beefsteak a few experimental jabs.

'I'm sure it's already dead.' Gabriel raised his brow. Adrien casted him a puzzled glance. Did he really…? Well, he wouldn't know until he tried.

'It certainly lost much blood,' he ventured and for once wasn't disappointed as his father chuckled under his breath and retorted 'Well done'.

Just for a while Gabriel's face was lit by a genuine smile. It reminded Adrien of times long past, when their house wasn't as lifeless, empty and sad as it was now. When things were different, easier, happier. He smiled himself, as much at his father as at those memories, cherishing the moment. But it was short-lived. And it died quickly, like a sparkle extinguished before it could even ignite properly. The mask crawled back onto Gabriel's face.

For some time they ate in silence. Father and son, tied by blood, but nothing else. Strangers. Adrien wondered if there was any way to revert this. True, it had never been perfect, his father never being the type to play happy families. But at least he had been there, he had made the effort, there had been a connection of a sort. Adrien's thoughts inadvertently went to Marinette. He wished he had a family like hers – that warmth, that love, that attention. No wonder she was so great, with that kind of support from her family she probably could have conquered the whole world. He felt a strange pull in his heart. A slight sting of envy, but mostly just the overwhelming wave of emptiness. Suddenly he felt so hollow he wanted to cry. The little appetite he had was gone immediately. But just as he was about to excuse himself from the table his father broke the silence.

'Your friend was here today, the one with the glasses and the headphones.'

'Oh.' That would be Nino. Adrien felt an unpleasant surge in his stomach. 'Did he say, why he came?'

'He was hoping to see you. Didn't believe when I said you weren't at home.'

Adrien didn't know, how to respond to that, so he sat still.

'He looked worried. Said you wouldn't return his calls and messages.' Gabriel let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes. 'Son, I know it's not my business, but can you tell me what's going on?'

'Nothing.' The word came out automatically, without even bothering Adrien's brain to allow it.

His father gave him an unimpressed look.

'We just had a fight, OK?'

'A fight.' Gabriel echoed his words.

'Yes. Just a fight. I said some mean things and he said some too. It's not that big of a deal.'

It was that big of a deal. At least for Adrien. Never in the three years of their friendship had he been conflicted with Nino. Never had he purposefully hurt anyone, yet starting with just a few mean comments that got out of hand he offended pretty much the only close friend he had. He recalled the hurt in those hazel eyes and felt ashamed again.

'I see. Are you sure your friend thinks the same?'

'Look, I appreciate your concern, but I don't need any help. I'll sort it out, OK? Nothing to worry about.' Adrien's voice trembled by that time. He just wished this conversation was over.

'If you say so. I take pride in the fact, that I've always encouraged you to be independent and responsible.'

This earned Gabriel a snort from Adrien, but apparently the designer decided to ignore it. He reached and pulled a box hitherto resting next to him. 'Well then, when you get to sorting this out with your friend, you'll probably be needing this.' He pushed the box in Adrien's direction.

Hesitantly Adrien pulled the thing closer to him and raised the lid. His heart sunk immediately as he realized what was inside. It seemed that Nino decided to get rid of every possible item that had anything in common with him. The box contained many CDs and DVDs, some comics and gadgets, books and even a few of Adrien's games. Some of those were just borrowed, but there were also a few gifts. Gifts that Nino now decided to return.

'Still so sure it's nothing to worry about?' His father's comment was bordering mockery, though the concern in his eyes was genuine. But at that point Adrien was fueled mostly by a mixture of shame and guilt, so he didn't have the courage to look into Gabriel's eyes.

'Like you've said, it's none of your business.' He said slowly through gritted teeth, careful not to let out the growl that was already vibrating in his throat. 'I can handle my problems on my own.' He was already out of line, finally giving into his foul mood. 'Don't act like you care all of a sudden! Last time I checked you didn't think I needed any friends!'

With that Adrien stormed out of the dining room, the shameful box in his hands. He didn't turn around, so he totally missed how his father raised from his seat, arm stretched in his direction. Like he was about to stop him, about to say something. But the boy was already gone and couldn't see the hurt and worry in Gabriel's eyes, before the man collapsed into his seat and buried his face in his hands.

Adrien just lay on his bed in the darkness. He wanted to sleep _so badly_. But every time he closed his eyes he saw Nino and returned to that moment of shame. The words echoed in his ears.

' _Dude, I know how you feel.'_

' _You don't know. You can't know! You know nothing about me!'_

' _Ade, just let me help you. Just tell me what's wrong!'_

' _What's wrong with you?! Why can't you just leave me alone?!'_

That was just the beginning. He didn't want to recall the end. Adrien liked to think of Alya and Marinette as his friends too, but it was all through Nino. Nino had been his only link and cue to the life outside the mansion. Breaking that link resulted in absence of other friends as Alya tagged along with Nino and Mari tagged along with Alya. It was truly ironic that things were that way, considering who he was. Adrien thanks to his modeling career was supposed to be this famous and popular celebrity, but it didn't exactly account for many friendships. None actually. Even Chloe had made herself scarce recently. Without Nino he was alone.

He sat up with a sigh. 'Enough already. Plagg, claws out!'

As Chat Noir was climbing out of his bathroom's window, his cat's ears picked up some unusual sounds, coming from his house. But he was too restless to stop and investigate, too eager to lose himself in the run against rooftops. Should he stayed a bit longer, he would hear the most quiet whimpers from the direction of his father's bedroom.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I really like the idea, that Adrien's sense of humor is something he had once shared with his father. And I don't think Gabe is a robot, even in the series he's pretty emotional._

 _Anyway, tell me what you think!_


	5. Chapter 5 The assault

**'The assault'**

Dreamcatcher was truthful to her promise of house-haunting, as she put it. Quite literally, unfortunately. Because from the day of her arrival, the haunting begun. There were no more akumas, thankfully. But instead just like in a poor underfunded sequel of Ghostbusters all of a sudden the creatures of dreams started to appear in the streets. In the first few days they didn't cause any harm. They just hovered or crawled or did whatever their shape and purpose allowed them. Sure, people were scared, but those beings couldn't affect their world anyhow. Not just yet. All they did was watching, but the anticipation and hunger in their eyes were obvious.

And the dreams kept on coming. Every night.

The media went crazy, reporting every incident they could get a footage of, broadcasting interviews with concerned citizens, hosting talks with 'experts' who knew nothing of magical creatures from dreams but could talk at length about them despite the lack of knowledge. The authorities of the city tried very best to assess the situation and failed spectacularly. There was no way to restrain the mad journalists, no way to reason with them that it was not in public interest to brew the panic further. What was even worse, there was nothing to be done with the silent invasion. The police, the fire fighters, the military – they were all baffled. There were a few rumors that the military had tried every single weapon at their disposal without any result whatsoever. So what did the media do when there was nothing to be done? They turned their attention to the super heroes.

First comments on the lines of "What Ladybug and Chat Noir intend to do about this?" surfaced on the third day after the Dreamcatcher's arrival. They were silently encouraged by the Mayor and his team, who were itching to place the blame for the lack of solutions anywhere but on themselves. It would have been a good strategy, Adrien had to admit, should there be any sort of formal relation between the heroes and the city. But they weren't town-clerks or employees, they didn't get any paycheck or another form of gratification. They provided a unique service, risked their lives, and received only gratitude in exchange. Was it their responsibility to deal with monsters? Probably, but only because they had made that their responsibility, not because someone said it just was. At first Parisians didn't buy the argumentation presented by the media, still in love with their cherished superduo, but Adrien knew very well that public feeling was fickle and should any trouble occur the wind could change really quickly. Moreover those 'experts' now discussing ways Ladybug's and Chat Noir's powers could be used against the enemy didn't exactly improve the situation. They were all in the dark, including the feline hero himself.

Adrien didn't know what to make of his predicament, the sorcerer's arrival and the knowledge he got from Plagg. But he felt somehow exposed, and probably that was why he decided not to clad in black when he headed to meet Ladybug for their little brainstorming. He assumed that whatever was the purpose of those phantoms haunting the city, it wouldn't be wise if one of them noticed him leaving the mansion as Chat. He had plenty of useful hideouts on his way to transform before meeting his Lady.

But he was stopped before he could reach any of them. In fact he didn't get further than Le Grand Hotel when it happened. There was a commotion in the lobby, followed by heavy screaming and screeching and then thudding as if some furniture was demolished enthusiastically.

Chloe ran out of the hotel followed by a disquieting shape. She spotted Adrien and was by his side in just a few leaps. Acting purely on instincts he pushed her behind his back, deciding to fight the thing even without his suit on. Now he had to protect the girl and there was no time to pull his claws out.

The creature was huge and repulsive. Its translucent form hovered lightly a few feet above the ground. It looked like a very unlucky hybrid of a lizard, quite a few octopuses and piranhas. Instead of legs it had far more tentacles than necessary, all wriggling unpleasantly against the wind. There were at least four eyes on its head, each looking in a different direction, though the resulting squint was as far from funny as possible. It was in fact its advantage, as the creature could see most of its surroundings, each eye glinting with malice. There were a few rows of teeth in its jaws, looking extremely sharp. Equally sharp crest rolled from the top of its head to the tip of its tail. All in all it wasn't a thing anyone in their right mind would like to hang out with.

The monster sniffed the air and zeroed its gaze on Chloe. Snarling wildly it charged in their direction giving Adrien no time to react. In just a second it was over them and its momentum pinned them to the ground. He heard Chloe's squeal and he did what he could to shield her from the advancing beast. The creature started squeezing them with its stomach and the boy wondered if its intent was to crush them to pulp. The thing was cold, it's limpid skin smooth and strained, like a water balloon. It pinned them to the pavement with so much force that it was impossible to breathe. The boy felt Chloe's body slumped as she passed out due to the lack of air. He was aware that blue and black spots blurring his vision meant he would soon follow her.

Suddenly the pressure dropped, as the creature lifted itself from his body. Out of the corner of his eye Adrien saw a red blur and heard the familiar swoosh of a yoyo. The monster was airborne again, while Ladybug tried to draw its attention. She succeeded as it followed her to the roof of the hotel. It charged with all its tentacles and she did what she could to fight them off with her yoyo. But it wasn't neither the best weapon in a close combat, nor against a creature from a dreamworld. It was gaining on her quickly and soon Adrien gasped in horror as the monster got a grip on Ladybug and pulled her inside his translucent body. She tried to fight it from the inside for a moment, but soon she gave up.

Adrien saw her eyes closed, her features relaxed as if accepting defeat, her body slumping and curling to fetal position. He shuddered at the thought that this was her end and that the only thing he could do was to witness it.

But before he could even scream, Ladybug put her hands together to rest on her chest, drew a deep breath and straightened up. As she opened her eyes, she thrust her arms and legs out as if delivering a blow from the inside of her body and out in every direction. The creature flickered at the force coming from her and disappeared in a blink. She dropped onto the hotel terrace and collapsed to her knees.

His guts melting with relief and still twisting from fear, Adrien checked on Chloe. The girl was still unconscious so he lifted her in his arms bridal style and carried her to the hotel. As he rested her on a sofa, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and met Ladybug's gaze, her sapphire eyes dimmed with exhaustion.

'Are you okay?' They spoke simultaneously, then gave a nervous giggle and blushed.

'Sorry,' Adrien recovered faster. He reminded himself that he was his civilian self, and therefore unknown to Ladybug, hence he probably shouldn't be the one voicing concern in such situation. He flashed her a shy smile, 'Ladies first.'

She gave him a thoughtful look, but quickly shook her head and asked again, 'Are you all right? That thing was really terrifying. Did it hurt you?'

'No. I'm fine.' He replied quickly. 'Chloe fainted but it was probably due to fear and lack of air. I hope she'll recover soon.' Ladybug dashed a look in direction of the sofa, where indeed Chloe was recovering judging by her groans.

'Thank you.' He said simply, 'If you didn't show up, we wouldn't stand a chance.' And he was all the more terrified at the thought that even suited up he would probably face defeat. 'What did you do up there when it swallowed you?' he asked but regretted it as soon as he spoke. She was clearly embarrassed by his question and too late he reminded himself that it was something Chat would ask her, not Adrien. 'Sorry, you don't have to answer that. I'm guessing this is probably secret know-how of the hero job?'

She stared at her feet, light blush covering her cheeks, as she nodded and murmured, 'Yes, something like that.'

'Well, thank you anyway.' Once again he gave her a warm smile. 'I guess I have to be going.' _To meet you_ he added in his thoughts.

'Y-y-yeah, mm-me too.' She stammered a bit, a manner reminding him of Marinette. He guessed, she must have been exhausted with the fight. 'I'm glad you're o-okay. Take care.' With that she ran out of the lobby and disappeared jumping onto rooftop.

Adrien knew he was already late, but he had to talk to Chloe first. After all, they needed all the information they could get, and just anything could be useful.


	6. Chapter 6 The request

_Author's note: I haven't been able to updated this story for a long time, because I got stuck with work and my other fics. Also, this chap sort of twisted the plot a bit, so the next one, that was almost ready, now has to be rewritten and I honestly don't know when I manage to do that._ **  
**

 _But hopefully once I'm finished with 'The Party' (that has only 3 chapters left, half of which is already written) I will have more time for this baby._

* * *

 **'The request'**

'So basically, your kwami's advise is „think happy thoughts"!?' Chat Noir shook his head in disbelief. They've been discussing Dreamcatcher over the last hour or so. An hour in which he somehow managed to travel from relieved at the sight of Ladybug safe and sound, through mildly anxious at the revelations her kwami had shared with her Chosen, up to downright pissed at the most stupid fighting advice he'd heard in his entire superhero career.

Ladybug sighed. Again. 'It's… not that simple.'

Chat was about to counter that happy thoughts weren't simple, but how could he explain to her, that happiness wasn't in his vocabulary any more. He didn't say it, but either he thought it really loud or it just showed in his features, because his partner looked at him and just knew. Ladybug moved closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder. She locked eyes with his.

'It worked for me today, Chat. However absurd it might seem, it worked.' Her voice was calm, but she had worry written all over her face. She still didn't say anything about the fight with that creature, though it definitely had taken its toll on her.

Now being his superhero self he was finally able to ask those questions. 'What happened? How did you escape? You just thought about something happy?' Chat chose his tone very carefully, leaving possible signs of sneer aside. Even if it sounded unbelievable, she somehow succeeded. That had to account for something.

'It's not "happy". It's actually something quite opposite, I guess,' Ladybug started to wave her hands in the air as if this could help her explain the strange approach. 'It was more like… taking the courage to give up?'

While she fumbled for further explanation Chat pondered, that so far it didn't sound stupid _at all_. It sounded utterly moronic! He did his best to swallow the comment, while she went on.

'You know, when you play a game or something, you can win but you can also lose. It's similar when we fight akumas. We try our best not to lose, but there's always that possibility that just this time we won't make it.' She was searching his face for signs of comprehension, so he nodded still wondering, where this was going. 'When that monster swallowed me, it felt like being trapped inside a dream. There was darkness and void, and voices whispering very nasty things. They were saying that this was the end, that I've lost.' Ladybug's voice cracked for a moment. She shuddered and took Chat's hand as if trying to anchor herself. He squeezed it gently, encouraging her silently to go on. 'For a split second I panicked, then I felt guilt and despair that I failed. But I remembered what my kwami told me about Dreamcatcher and I tried to calm down. I tried to release my fear and guilt and the thought of losing wasn't so frightening anymore. I brought up the confidence, that I did everything I could, that I gave everything that I had in me.'

'I felt that terrible weight dropping from my chest and I could finally breathe. So I took that breath and let go. And then I woke up falling to the terrace.' Her eyes were darkened and her voice lowered just above a whisper. Without hesitation Chat pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't know if it was for her comfort or rather for his. She didn't push him away but let him hold her for a while.

Her head rested on his chest, while she softly spoke again. 'According to my kwami when you balance your mind, keeping the negative emotions in check, the nightmare runs out of fuel. But that only works on the monsters. She didn't know much about Dreamcatcher or how to fight her. She didn't even have a clue if Dreamcatcher could be affected by Lucky Charm or Cataclysm. The only certain thing is that she feeds off nightmares.'

When Ladybug finally slid out of his embrace, Chat stiffened feeling like she had taken all the warmth in the world with her. He must have looked like dead warmed up because she immediately picked up on his state.

'Chat,' she said taking her most serious voice. 'I can see that something's wrong. It's been going for a few days now. You can tell me, you know?'

'Everything is all right, my Lady. I'm just tired, is all,' he shrugged, trying to look inconspicuous. But he failed under her scrutinous gaze.

'Don't lie to me,' she said simply. 'I'm your partner and friend. Please, let me help you,' she pleaded and Adrien felt the dam of rage breaking.

'There is nothing to help with! Would you drop it already?' Chat snapped at her, for the first time since they met. 'I can handle it myself.' He didn't care anymore, though his reaction was a dead giveaway there _was_ something wrong.

Ladybug looked baffled for a moment, but then brushed it off. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.' She said gently. 'I should mind my own business. But if you need to talk to someone, remember I'm here, okay?'

He nodded silently, ashamed of his outburst but still wary of any sign of further interrogation.

There was an awkward lull in the conversation, as both of them just sat not looking at the other, saying nothing. Adrien desperately tried to think of something to better the mood, but he came empty handed. Ladybug bit her lip. She definitely had something on her mind and it seemed like she was working up the courage to say it.

Finally she reached a decision and looked at him with a strange mixture of determination and anxiety in her eyes. Something in her gaze hypnotized him, making it impossible for him to move even an inch. He waited bracing himself for anything that might come. But nothing could prepare him for what she said next.

'I've been thinking a lot lately about our partnership, about the risks of our responsibilities as heroes and about the recent events, even before Dreamcatcher. We had a few close calls in the past few days. Much more than I would care to admit. Times are getting weirder and weirder and it's good to be prepared for the worst, even if we should hope for the best.' Her voice was husky, which meant serious business. Her eyes never wandered from his, pinning him to the roof. 'Should something happened to one of us, or to their miraculous, the other one would never know. There would be no way to find out or to help.'

Chat gulped, finally figuring out where this was heading. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all, but he said nothing still hoping she had something else on her mind. Anything else, but this.

Ladybug drew a deep breath and stated firmly, 'I think it's time we reveal ourselves to each other, Chat. For our own safety and for the city's as well.'

'No!' Adrien cried a bit too quick for it not to raise suspicions. But he didn't care about that. Nothing would make him reveal at that moment, and he would rather just run away than know who Ladybug really was. It would be too dangerous, to horrifying. He closed his eyes to stop the tears threatening to spill at any second and his head started spinning when the images of her standing side by side with his mother resurfaced from the depths of his consciousness, his ears again picking up the whispered goodbyes, his mind again locked on the two of them giving in to the void.

He watched Ladybug's features change from determined to startled and willed himself back into self control. He frantically looked for any suitable reasons, just to talk her out of it without hurting her. Although he was a trembling mess on the inside, he managed to pour all the calm he had left to his voice.

'My Lady, I understand your concern.' He started carefully, not trusting his voice not to crack at any second. 'However from what we know, our enemy might penetrate our dreams. And if she was to learn of our true identities, that would be probably a deadly mistake for us.' He said, fighting with all his strength not to avert his gaze from her. 'On many occasions you've voiced your concern, that our identities should remain secret, and although at that time I disagreed, I have nevertheless always respected your wishes. Now I must say, you were right and I urge you to rethink this decision.' He suppressed a shudder as he watched her eyes growing sadder and her lips purse into a thin line. 'Now it is my wish not to reveal ourselves and I expect you return my previous courtesy.' He ended in a dry voice. Never in his life did he utter more stiff and official statement.

Her eyes never left his face, as if searching for some proof that he didn't mean it, that she misheard him. And even if he felt like he was falling apart, like he betrayed her, he didn't falter in his intent. For her own good, for her own safety he knew he mustn't let them reveal themselves. He tried to convince himself it was the sensible thing to do, but deep down he already knew. In that moment, with that decision, he had lost her.

Ladybug was silent for a long time, and when she spoke, voice shaky and subdued, it was to set a date of their next meeting. She didn't respond to his rant nor asked any questions. He didn't remember if they even said goodbye before parting their ways, although the hurt in the sapphire eyes would stay with him for days to come. It was imprinted in his memory even more vividly than his dreams. Because that was the last time he saw her.

* * *

 _AN: Let me just remind you, that I love to hear what you think and I get inspired by your comments. So don't hesitate to write me something in your review, even if it's just a word or three. I appreciate it greatly, as well as your favs and follows. They keep me going and make me believe this story is worth continuing._


	7. Chapter 7 The concern

_Author's note: I'm back to Dreamcatcher and the plan is to write until I can post next three chapters and thus close Part 1 of the story. Chances are this might happen soon as at the moment this is my only fic that has a detailed outline so it doesn't require much conceptional work right now._

 _Thank you for commenting on those last chapters. That gave me a lot to think about!_

* * *

 **'The concern'**

'What the hell was that!' Plagg yelled at him as soon as Adrien closed the door to his room behind them. 'I thought you wanted to know who she was. You dreamed about it for years, you wouldn't shut up about it!

'Because it's too dangerous.' The boy sunk to his couch, eyes purposefully closed, head lolled to one side. 'You said it yourself that Dreamcatcher could penetrate people's thoughts.'

Plagg gave him a puzzled look. 'No,' he said slowly, eyes pointedly trained on Adrien. 'I said Dreamcatcher could manipulate past wielders into dreaming their worst nightmares. I never said anything about penetrating people's thoughts. How would I know about that?'

Suddenly the kwami stiffened and peered intently at his holder.

Adrien paled. Just one look at the boy was enough of an answer to the question Plagg dreaded to ask. It looked like the black sprite finally caught up with the events of last few weeks. He probably should have paid more attention to Adrien's state during the nights instead of focusing on being all cranky and exasperated. The guilt now was written all over his face.

'Kid! You should have told me!' The kwami scolded the boy.

'It's not a thing I'm particularly proud of. And what would you do anyway?!' Adrien replied defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.

Plagg flew to him and rested on his knee. 'What did you see? In your nightmares?'

'Won't tell you.'

'Suit yourself!' The little cat fumed. 'Might as well just hand in your ring already!'

'Fine! I saw… my mother… and Ladybug. Sometimes my father or Nino.'

'Well, that doesn't sound too bad.' Plagg scratched his chin thoughtfully. 'I suppose everyone dreams of people close to them. There's something you're not telling me.'

Adrien sighed and suppressed a shudder. The dreams weren't a thing he wanted to recall. 'Mom and Ladybug… they mostly… they sort of… make their goodbyes and… leave. They're so sad, so pained and… I chase them and call to them but they just disappear…' He dabbed at his eyes trying in vain to stop the tears from falling.

Plagg fell silent for a while, true concern showing in his now watery eyes, before he asked gently, 'And do you know what it means?'

The boy shook his head. 'I've got no idea. All I know is that every time I wake up from those dreams I feel defeated, crushed and aching.'

'Well, I'm no Freud but it seems really simple.'

'Is it now?' Adrien fixed him with a sarcastic stare that Plagg easily ignored. He had millennia of experience at ignoring sarcastic wielders. Adrien wasn't even in the top five.

'Yeah. This is your worst nightmare, kitten.' The kwami said bluntly. 'The fear of losing someone close to you. The fear of being abandoned.'

The boy gave that some thought. Spelled out like that it seemed so simple, but the whirlwind of emotions that ran through his heart was a clear evidence that it wasn't.

'And what do I do about that?'

'That's easy. You love someone, get attached, built a relationship and accept them into your life.'

'Like it was as simple as that.' Adrien shrugged in disbelief.

Plagg climbed onto his hand and lightly squeezed it with his own paw. 'It is. You just have to find someone you care about and do it.'

'You know it's not that easy.' The boy hung his head. 'There's only one person I would like to built a relationship with, and she has never wanted me in that way.' The string of unspoken rejections from Ladybug was one of Adrien's most painful memories.

'Oh, please. Not that Ladybug crap again.' Plagg snorted. 'You need to bond with someone real, available, and not a girl in spandex that you see only when there's trouble to be fixed.'

'Really.' Adrien commented sourly. 'Like there's plenty of people to chose from.'

The little cat gave him a disbelieving look. 'What about Miss Clumsy Stutter? She acts like she's taken interest in you,' he said innocently and grinned with satisfaction when Adrien choked on his own tongue. 'Oh, puh-leea-ise, don't give me that look. You've been winking your eyes out at her, and as soon as she needs help you race to her like a knight in his shining armor, Chat or no Chat.' The kwami flew to the boy's face and bopped him lightly on the nose. 'And don't think I've forgotten how crossed you were when you didn't get to kiss her while you were making that Horrificator thingy.'

Adrien opened and closed his mouth a few times, struggling to force out some words of denial, although his reddening ears told Plagg he wasn't entirely wrong in his conclusions. Finally the boy found his voice again.

'You are wrong, Plagg. I like Marinette sure enough, but I'm in love with Ladybug.' Even as he said it he knew it wasn't entirely true. There was more to his feeling towards Marinette than pure friendship, but he'd rather be damned than admit that there was a grain of truth in Plagg's observations. Adrien realized that he couldn't recall a day without at least once thinking about the girl. It also wasn't the first time then that he secretly wondered, if he stood a chance in her eyes. Were it not for Ladybug, he might have consider making a move. Marinette was… unique. Headstrong, confident, creative, dedicated and so much more. Too bad most of those trait showed when he wasn't around. If only she didn't act so strange around him, stuttering and not able to look him in the eyes. These days he started to wonder, what did he do to deserve it. There had to be something more than that stupid gum incident. How exactly did he screwed this up before it even had a chance to begin?

'You wish!' Plagg chuckled amused with Adrien's denial.

'I don't know what you're talking about. My heart belongs to my Lady.' Adrien once again crossed his arms in front of him in a stubborn stance.

'Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, but do you really believe there's a future with Ladybug?'

Adrien didn't have an answer to that.

Plagg broke the silence once again. 'I know what you're doing. You keep pushing everybody away, so that no one would hurt you or leave you or both. You did that with Nino, with your father, with Ladybug just today, and now after mere suggestion on my part you're doing the same with Marinette. You choose to leave first, or to not be attached in the first place. And there's nothing but heartbreak that way. You'll hurt other people and you'll hurt yourself, kid.'

'No, I won't!' Adrien exclaimed, his voice trembling with emotion. 'No one is going to hurt because of me, I won't let that happen.' If anything _that_ was his biggest fear. That because of him someone would suffer. That because of who he was, he would bring danger upon those dear to him.

'There are people that care for you Adrien, present company included. And if you refuse to face your fears, you will hurt those people and lose them eventually.' Plagg said uncharacteristically gently. 'Well, this is some coaching shit that Ladybug's kwami usually does, and I can't believe I'm telling you this now but you truly deserve to be loved, to be happy, Adrien. Just get a life, get some love!'

'I don't… I don't think that's possible.' The boy blurted out.

'Anything is possible, kid,' Plagg said pointing to Adrien's phone which just lit up signaling an incoming call. Marinette's smiley photo with her fingers forming a "v" showed on the screen.

* * *

 _AN: I always appreciate your comments and opinions, they help me improve my writing._


	8. Chapter 8 The heartbreak

**'The heartbreak'**

And just like that the most unexpected thing happened. Marinette called him. Stuttery at first, she warmed up and they chattered a bit about school and things, before the girl asked him if they could talk face to face. That's how he found himself waiting for her in the park near the school the next day.

Adrien realized that he always enjoyed Marinette's company. Being with her was somehow soothing. In her presence he felt strangely at ease, despite her stuttering and awkwardness. He smiled for the first time in quite a few days as soon as he saw her running into the park. She was late of course, but that was hardly a surprise. Besides, Adrien didn't mind. The day was warm, Hawk Moth's akumas and Dreamcatcher's minions for once didn't bother anyone and he could use a few minutes of calm.

As per usual upon seeing him Marinette performed a customary trip over thin air and if it weren't for Chat's reflexes the box of macaroons that she was carrying would have been wasted.

'Hi!' She panted and pointed to the box that Adrien had just caught. 'F-for you!'

The girl collapsed on the bench beside him, tilted her head and closed her eyes as she tried to regain her breath. Even at that hard time her presence calmed him down and for a moment he forgot about his nightmares, his tiredness and troubles. While she was still taking a rest after the frantic race he took a moment to look at her discreetly. Under the blush that was probably the result of the run she looked pale and tired. The way she hunched her shoulders and stretched her legs gave an impression of someone with too many things to do and too little time to rest. He knew the feeling too well.

Marinette caught his eye and muttered an apology for her late arrival. She might have looked tired, but that sparkle in her bluebell eyes was still there and Adrien found himself smiling and blushing and mildly tripping over his own sentences. It must have been the lack of sleep.

A few minutes into their chit-chat and the boy relaxed enough to slump against the bench and arch his back in a stretch. Marinette mimicked his movements and turned her face to the sun, letting its shine kiss her skin, while her eyes were closed again, cutting Adrien from that joyful glint he was so fond of.

She looked so serene it took his breath away. Adrien felt that calmness oozing of her and pouring into him. He too turned his face to the sun and reveled in the warmth and comfort of this moment. He hadn't felt so peaceful in weeks, perfectly aware of how many nights of sleep were lost on him. He stifled a yawn and casted another glance and the girl. She was no longer sunbathing but watching him intently, her lips pursed into thin line.

'Adrien…' she said gently. 'Please, don't be mad at me for saying that, but you look terrible. If something is troubling you, you can tell me.'

He cringed under her scrutinous gaze. The gentle smile turned into a frown in an instant. Adrien suppressed a groan. What was wrong with these people? Why on Earth all of a sudden everybody felt an urge to poke their noses into his affairs, acting like they knew him, like they cared or could do something anyway?

The boy remained silent and watchful, while he observed his classmate. There was a strange determination in her eyes, painfully familiar, although Adrien couldn't just pinpoint where he'd seen it before. Unaware of his internal struggle, Marinette continued with her inquiry.

'I'm worried about you,' she admitted shyly yet firmly, putting a hand on his shoulder. 'Things are getting strange. People act strange. And you…' her voice trembled slightly like she was struggling to keep the words flowing. 'You've been excluding yourself lately. Don't think we didn't notice. You're cutting us out. You won't speak to Nino and Chloe also mentioned you're avoiding her.'

Now that was something new. Marinette talked to _Chloe_? And Chloe talked back?! Clearly nowadays nosy was the new black.

'With all due respect, Marinette, it's none of your business.' Adrien finally replied, his tone unexpectedly chilly. 'I don't understand, why won't you all just leave me alone.' He stiffened under the touch of her hand still resting on his shoulder.

'Because I want it to be my business,' the girl countered. 'Because I care about you,' she added resolutely.

'I… You… What?!' Once again she made him stumble over his words on top of the reeling that was already happening inside his head.

Marinette straightened and turned to face him. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out not for one moment taking her eyes off of him.

'I've wanted to tell you this for a very long time but I didn't have the courage. Now seeing you like this...' she waved a hand in his direction clearly meaning his second-hand freshness. 'I thought... if you need someone I'm here for you. I've always been here and always will...' the girl added bashfully, finally dropping her gaze to her lap.

Adrien stared at her for some time trying to make some sense out of it. Finally he found his voice to sum up his conclusion or rather lack thereof. 'What are you talking about?!'

'What I'm trying to say is...' Marinette murmured quietly taking another deep breath. 'I love you, Adrien. I've been having all those feelings for you from the moment I've looked into your eyes the first time we talked that first day on the stairs, and I've been falling for you ever since.' She said that in a silent, yet strong voice, boldly locking her eyes with his.

Marinette's confession and her closeness rendered him speechless, as he desperately tried to comprehend what was going on. The scent of vanilla, chocolate and jasmine that he had learned to associate with her was overwhelming. Adrien's heart burst with all those feelings he didn't want to admit to have. His gaze swept over her face, her sapphire eyes glimmering with determination, her cheeks tinted with rosy hue, her nose peppered with tiny freckles, her full lips parted invitingly… Unconsciously he leaned his head slightly, enthralled by her proximity.

After a moment of hesitation she closed the space between them as she planted the softest, the most tender and affectionate kiss on his lips. In a split of a second all of his warning bells went on, but he decided to ignore them. He felt warmth pouring into his beaten torture of a heart and long forgotten happiness stirred in his soul. The sensation set his skin tingling. It felt just right, just where he belonged. Adrien closed his eyes in a bliss, reached out and pulled her closer as he kissed her back. And in that moment of revelation he caught a glimpse of a future with her, some random flashes – _a walk under full moon, a session of video games, a candlelit dinner, a swim in the ocean, a twirl of wedding dress, an intimate hug so full of love…_

He tried to put all that into the kiss, finding himself thinking that maybe Plagg was right after all? Maybe he should give himself a chance for a real life? Maybe there was still hope?

… and then the nightmare struck, replacing those joyful scenes with a new dread.

 _This time there was no sign of Ladybug, his mother or his father. This time it was just Marinette, standing there at the verge of the void, with her sapphire eyes full of sorrow and fear. And he watched in silent terror as something materialized behind her, multiple hands, claws, tentacles closed their grip on her body and pulled her into the darkness so fast, she wasn't even able to scream._

His heart shattered in an instant as he pulled away from her lips. He couldn't stay with her. He couldn't endanger her. He wouldn't bear losing her too.

'I'm sorry… I can't…' He mumbled. How do you explain something like that to someone who just told you that she loved you?

She probably caught the fear in his eyes, and she misinterpreted it totally. Cupping his cheek with her hand, she murmured adoringly, 'It's okay. I can understand that this might come as a surprise to you. I don't expect you to love me back this instant. All I ask is a chance for your heart.' There was so much tenderness and love in her voice that it broke his heart again.

He gathered the pitiful remains of his resolve and fighting against his instincts took her hand from his cheek, then put it on her lap. Here it comes.

'I'm sorry, Marinette. I truly am, but…' He raised his eyes to meet hers. She deserved this much, she mustn't think he's a coward. He had to face her for this, no matter how his heart ached. '…as much as I am flattered with your affection, I… I don't think I will ever be able to return your feelings…'

His voice trailed off before he could add ' _You deserve so much more than me'_ , because he spotted tears building up in the corners of her eyes. Her lower lip trembled barely noticeably. Marinette brushed her fingers against it as if recalling the sensation of their kiss. She stared questioningly into his eyes for a very uncomfortable moment, apparently trying to comprehend what he was implying. He felt her eyes boring into him, looking past the protective walls he'd built and into his quivering soul. He tried to control his features, tried not to let her see his true feelings, and hoped he succeeded.

'Don't lie to me,' she whispered a strangely familiar phrase and he melted at how she could see through him and out. But this was more important than him. He wished he could shrink into nothingness on the spot and spare her and himself the humiliation.

'I don't know what you're getting at. I'm trying to be polite but you're just making me uncomfortable.' He tried to sound indifferent, tried to ignore the twisting and tugging of his guts.

She looked at him once again, as if memorizing every bit of his face. There was so much pain and misery in her eyes, the adorable sparkle long gone, but he forced himself to remain impassive. He could see it was too much for her, and he was sure he'd never forgive himself how cruel he acted back then. Finally, unable to maintain his cool composure, he turned his back to her. And out of a corner of his eye he saw her wiping the tears that rolled down her face, as she finally fled.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I'm really, really sorry. But I did mention a metaphorical sinkhole in the summary, right? And the Prologue is also an indicator of where this is going…_

 _I'm honestly starting to think I'm not cut out for writing angst._

 _I'd love to know what you think about this chapter though. Your comments keep me going!_

 _Also - if you're interested in my other works, lately I've posted sneak peeks for ALL of my stories on tumblr as a WIP meme (just add '/post/162476236158/wip-meme' to my tumblr perditaalottachocolate-blog link because ff keeps cutting the link out). Check if you find anything interesting and maybe let me know which of those would you like to see updated first?_


	9. Chapter 9 The abduction

_Author's Note: Welcome to the bottom of the sinkhole. I'm sorry. That's all._

* * *

 **Chapter 9 "The abduction"**

Afterwards Adrien spent another hour on the bench before he gathered enough strength to stand up and go home. He felt so numb and sore he didn't know what to do with himself once he got to the mansion.

He tried to eat something but his stomach twisted in violent protest.

He tried to get some sleep, but the images of Marinette being swallowed by the void wouldn't leave him alone.

So he ended up lying on the couch and staring at the lights seeping through his windows.

In the middle of the night Plagg woke up from his post-camembert coma and discovered Adrien wasn't in his bed. The kwami found his charge awake on the sofa and silently settled on his chest.

It was a very rare occurrence for Plagg to openly display any kind of concern, but now he was visibly displeased. Yet he decided to restrain from comment. Instead he curled up and started purring softly. Adrien didn't recall any other occasion on which the kwami would make sounds like that. He wasn't even aware Plagg could purr at all. Though if he was a cat, it probably shouldn't be such a surprise.

The gentle purring reverberated in his chest and soon Adrien dozed off into a shallow dreamless slumber. Plagg smiled to himself at the job well done. He stayed with the boy all night determined to guard him from any nightmare that might come. His purring drifted in the air until dawn.

* * *

The modicum of dreamless sleep brought back some vigor into Adrien's previously deflated body.

He woke up to a notification on his phone that school had been canceled due to the state of emergency declared by the authorities in the early morning. His first shameful thought was one of a relief, that he wouldn't have to confront Marinette in class after what he had said and done.

But the state of emergency hadn't been declared to accommodate Adrien's guilty conscience. The city was under attack. And people were disappearing.

He found out about this thanks to Ladyblog, which he usually browsed through every morning. After Ladybug's fight with the translucent monster the other day Alya started her hunt for footage. There were no akuma attacks so she probably figured the monsters would be a good replacement content.

Now the blogger was live-streaming her journey from home to her mother's work at Le Grand Paris so the boy could immediately tell something new was happening. Just like with Chloé at the day of the first attack the minions started to abduct people. Not everyone, just some – and the reasons behind their choices were obscure.

Adrien's blood ran cold when he saw on the live feed what appeared to be a second attempt to capture Mayor's daughter. A huge dragon-like creature ripped a hole in the hotel's wall where Chloé's room was and was currently wiggling his limbs in it probably in order to whisk the girl out of the building.

Chloé.

Adrien didn't wait another second, but called on his transformation and ran to the bathroom window. As he took a leap to the fence and then to the street he registered that there were a few monsters circling around his house too, one hanging out just outside his windows and peeking inside. Did it see him transforming? Probably not or it would be aware of him leaving through bathroom and it would be definitely following him right now.

Putting the thoughts of close calls for later Chat Noir made a beeline for the hotel only to witness Chloé disappearing, taken in the direction of the Eiffel Tower. Chat heard a familiar scream and turned looking for its source.

Alya.

The minions were now trying to trap her but she was fighting them back, using everything including her teeth and nails. It wasn't enough.

Before Chat managed to rush to her side, baton at the ready, she was already lifted high above the ground and soon vanished like Chloé.

The feline hero was helpless. He didn't want to attack the monsters mid air, afraid to cause Alya to fall to the ground. If he used his baton to propel himself to their level he'd be defenseless against them. Besides, he didn't even know if his weapon would have any kind of effect and there was no way he would try repeating Ladybug's trick. There was not one happy thought left in him.

A sudden fear gripped him in its iron clutches. He ran back home. The mansion was full of transparent creatures sweeping the site. No way in but maybe there was no need for that. Chat saw Nathalie running down the stairs, scared but unharmed. She jumped into the car just as Gorilla started the engine. The hero caught up with them at the last moment. He stopped the car. His father's assistant opened the window and glanced at him.

'Is there anyone left in the house?' Chat asked quickly.

'No,' Nathalie's voice trembled. 'But we can't find our employer's son. He was supposed to be in his room, but when we saw those _things_ outside, Jerome ran to get him and Adrien wasn't there.'

The bodyguard whispered something to Nathalie while Chat tried really quickly to think of a way to let them know he was okay. It would be suspicious if he didn't offer to look for a missing kid.

'Yes, thank you,' Nathalie said to her co-worker. 'Jerome thinks Adrien must have left earlier, because the monsters were still outside when he went to fetch the boy. We don't know where he is and he left his phone in his room.' The woman waved her hand to show Chat his own civilian phone. Damn, he would be needing that later, but for now there was nothing he could do to retrieve it.

'I think I know the boy,' the hero said instead. 'I remember rescuing him and his father once,' he explained not to arise suspicion.

Nathalie nodded, 'Yes. Blonde, green eyes, about your height. You can also know his face from Gabriel's adds all over Paris.' She tapped her tablet a few times and produced a picture of Adrien from the perfume campaign. The hero took a look and nodded.

'I'll look for him,' Chat promised. 'What about his father?'

'My boss left earlier today. He's safe. Called me a few minutes ago and ordered the evacuation.' The woman hid her face in her hands. 'What am I going to tell him about Adrien?!' she sobbed.

'Don't worry,' the boy replied. 'I'm sure he's okay. Maybe you could give me his phone? That way he will be able to call you once I find him?' He asked hopefully and against all odds Nathalie agreed. Apparently she lost her usual composure faced with Adrien's disappearance.

'Thank you,' Chat said, relieved. 'Now go to your boss and stay safe,' he instructed and gestured for them to drive away.

As soon as the car disappeared round the corner Chat broke off into a sprint. The hotel seemed a safer place now that the creatures took who they had come for. It was definitely safer than the mansion, still under scrutinous inspection. The young hero pulled out his baton and tried to contact Ladybug, but her communicator was unavailable and the tracked showed no sign of the heroine. This meant she wasn't transformed. Possibly she wasn't even aware of this new development yet.

Now that he had his own phone he didn't even need to de-transform to let Nathalie know he was safe, but it would be highly improbable for Chat to find Adrien so soon. The hero considered his other options. He unlocked the screen and saw a missed call from Nino. He hesitated for a moment, thumb hovering over "call back" button. Finally the boy took a deep breath and touched the screen.

The connection went straight to voicemail. Chat Noir felt his stomach twisting in a tight knot.

Nino.

Maybe it was just a coincidence? Maybe Nino was still sleeping, because there was no school today? Maybe…

Chat noticed Chloé's phone in its distinctive golden case, discarded on the pavement just outside the hotel. A few meters away Alya's cell lied, its screen black and cracked in the middle.

Adrien didn't have many friends. Lately he didn't even feel he deserved those he had. If Nino shared Chloé's and Alya's fate there was only one more person Adrien would, at least until yesterday, consider his friend.

 _Marinette._

With his heart in his throat Chat chose Marinette's number on Adrien's phone.

One, two, three, four, five tones and the connection went to voicemail. He tried once more with similar result. Was that a good sign? Was Marinette safe and just chose not to pick up? He wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want to talk to him after all.

There was only one way to find out. The hero decided to check on her on his way to Nino's.

It took barely two jumps and he was already leaping over the rooftops of the houses surrounding the little park next to the bakery when the ground trembled. The noise came from the direction of the Seine. Chat Noir halted, searching for the source.

The bridge.

Dreamcatcher's minions were ripping the bridge apart. And with the debris they were-

Chat's heart stopped, he froze and his knees buckled under his weight.

The monsters were hurling the debris at the bakery!

The boy forced his lungs to take the air in. He willed his heart to pump blood again and tried to stand up. He was fighting with his body for every breath, every beat, every move in an attempt to move towards Marinette's house.

And then he saw her rushing onto her little balcony, probably to check on the noises.

It happened fast. In one second she was standing there with eyes wide opened and calling to someone hidden in her room and in the next they already had her. She was kicking wildly, screaming, biting, clawing but to no avail. One creature almost instantly covered her mouth and muffled her screams, two others grabbed her arms and legs. In a blink of an eye she was gone, soaring between her captors towards Champ du Mars.

A banshee howl ripped from Chat's chest as he collapsed onto the rooftop. He was too shocked to notice a red blur of a small creature, hovering silently between plants on the balcony, looking infinitely desperate and scared.

Adrien didn't know how much time had passed before he was able to stand up again. It was rain that sobered him up. He tried to gather his thoughts but it was too big of a task for him.

All this was too much. Too much to feel, to comprehend, to manage.

Chat Noir broke off into a frantic run above the wet and slippery rooftops. No direction, no plan. Pure despair and anguish roaming over the desolation of his soul. His muscles falling into the familiar routine, his brain voided of any thought.

He ran to forget, to escape the nightmare that became his reality, to lose himself along the way.

* * *

He stopped only when he finally ran out of energy. His legs slowly folded and he sank to the roof. The boy pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.

Adrien didn't notice when his transformation had faded. He wasn't aware of Plagg hovering over him and talking. Silently he crawled to the edge of the roof and let his orange sneakers dangle fifty floors above the street. Water dripped of his hair and fell in streaks over his now drenched clothes. His body shivered, but he took no notice of that too. There really was no point in anything anymore. Except...

The boy looked at his right hand, at the ring finger. A hysterical laughter shook his chest. Oh, what a great hero he was. How much good had he done. How many people was he able to rescue. The laughter turned into a whimper. Adrien choked on his own tears, now pouring out of him as steady as the rain that drenched him to the bone. He felt a surge of pain when his forehead was hit with a surprising force.

Plagg.

Plagg gave up on talking and waving and was now head-butting him forcefully be it to get his attention or bring him out of the shock.

'That's enough, Adrien!' the black kwami yelled in an attempt to outscream the storm that was breaking over their heads. 'Get yourself together and-'

His Chosen finally focused, his gaze zeroing on the little sprite. 'You're right, Plagg,' he interrupted the kwami with unexpected calm. 'That's enough.'

With infinitely emotionless face he took the miraculous off his finger and it was like Plagg was never there.

He took a deep breath to embrace the silence and solitude letting his eyes roam over the horizon in search of the inevitable.

'It's a nice ring you have there,' a soft voice spoke right into his ear.

* * *

 _AN: Welcome to the sinkhole. Please leave your screams and rants in the review box._

 _I'm off to my first holiday trip. Chances are there won't be any internet access so forgive me if I don't reply to your comments right away. Chances are there will be more opportunities to write though, and I find lakes and woods and the middle of nowhere quite inspiring so maybe there are going to be some updates when I get back._


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